Trump's America

[Danny Bateman]

I mean, if you run as a Democrat for the Governorship in Kansas, you're going to have to be pretty dang moderate I would think. A lot like Ashford in Omaha was or Joe Manchin in WV. He's pretty much a DINO. Hell, even an Independent that aligns with your beliefs, ala Sanders, would work-- though I don't know how receptive Kansas would be to his ideas.

 

That's fine. I mean you still want to have as many governorships as you can so you don't get hosed when they take the census and redraw the districts in 2020. If I was the Democrats, I'd be trying to find someone who fit that bill to oust Brownback ASAP.

[zoogs]

Governors shouldn't be affected at all by redistricting, right?

[Danny Bateman]

No, but the more governors you have, the more input you have into how the redistricting itself is done in 2020.

 

Record numbers of GOP governors in 2020 = record amounts of partisan tomfoolery.

[BigRedBuster]

No, but the more governors you have, the more input you have into how the redistricting itself is done in 2020.

 

Record numbers of GOP governors in 2020 = record amounts of partisan tomfoolery.

But, redistricting is not what is getting GOP governors elected because they are not affected by it.

 

The redistricting is a RESULT of having GOP governors elected.

 

PS...and....let's not pretend here. Yes, this is a major issue with the Dems right now because there are a lot of GOP governors. However, if the rolls were reversed, they would be doing the exact same thing in their favor.

[Whistlebritches]

The most recent Democrat to run against Brownback was really pretty moderate. The Republicans were able to successfully link him to Obama as well as some other fairly bizarre attacks. One in particular was criticizing him for hanging out at strip clubs when the reality was that the club owner was a client, it was during the day, and the meeting was business related. He was also single at the time so it's not like he was cheating on his wife.

 

It wasn't a huge a surprise given just how red Kansas has become. Kansas is where I grew up and I still have a lot of family there so I kind of keep up.

[Moiraine]

Governors are elected by popular vote. Gerrymandering is off topic.

[Danny Bateman]

BRB, I don't really care too much whose side it benefits. I just want more people to be able to vote, and district maps for representatives that don't resemble 98-sided polygons. When I see one group of people doing things in opposition to that repeatedly, I feel we should call them on it.

 

I suppose that's only tangentially related to who is the governor in a state. But redistricting is done mostly by state legislatures. It's going to be a lot easier to sneak those type of 98-side polygons by a governor who is on your team than one who isn't:

 

 

In the states where the legislature (or another body where a partisan majority is possible) is in charge of redistricting, the possibility of gerrymandering (the deliberate manipulation of political boundaries for electoral advantage, usually of incumbents or a specific political party) often makes the process very politically contentious, especially when the majorities of the two houses of the legislature, or the legislature and the governor, are from different parties.

 

So a governor could strike down egregious boundary maps if he wanted. Will they do so if those egregious maps helps them accomplish their goals? Doubt it.

 

I wish the GOP stood for the same voting ideals I do. But at the moment, they don't, from what I've seen. So I do want more Democrats as governors in states.

 

If they pulled the same crap that the GOP is right now and did in 2010, I would call them on it too. Guess we'd have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

[zoogs]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/georgia-niqabs-hijabs-illegal_us_582cd788e4b058ce7aa90a56

Georgia’s proposal echoes anti-Muslim legislation in places like France, where religious veils have been banned to some extent in academic institutions, public service jobs and on beaches. But more importantly, it falls in line with the widespread targeting of Muslim women fueled by increasing Islamophobia across the country.

[NM11046]

Not exactly where this fits ... but for those of you wanting to take action on any of these nominations or initiatives that are happening I'd suggest you follow Evan Handler on FB. He posted an excellent spreadsheet yesterday of call talking points, lists of representatives by states and their local and DC offices etc. (about 9am on the 16th - for some reason I can't figure out how to save it and post it here).

 

Also, if anybody is interested in an active group that's national on FB shoot me a PM.

[Cdog923]

Kobach and Brownback both seemed hated in Kansas, so hopefully they get jobs with Trump and the mouth breathers will celebrate

If they get jobs with Trump, kiss public education goodbye.

[Moiraine]

A UNL faculty member I know says her Arab students have been harassed on campus (and they weren't previously).

[BigRedBuster]

BRB, I don't really care too much whose side it benefits. I just want more people to be able to vote, and district maps for representatives that don't resemble 98-sided polygons. When I see one group of people doing things in opposition to that repeatedly, I feel we should call them on it.

 

I suppose that's only tangentially related to who is the governor in a state. But redistricting is done mostly by state legislatures. It's going to be a lot easier to sneak those type of 98-side polygons by a governor who is on your team than one who isn't:

 

 

 

In the states where the legislature (or another body where a partisan majority is possible) is in charge of redistricting, the possibility of gerrymandering (the deliberate manipulation of political boundaries for electoral advantage, usually of incumbents or a specific political party) often makes the process very politically contentious, especially when the majorities of the two houses of the legislature, or the legislature and the governor, are from different parties.

 

So a governor could strike down egregious boundary maps if he wanted. Will they do so if those egregious maps helps them accomplish their goals? Doubt it.

 

I wish the GOP stood for the same voting ideals I do. But at the moment, they don't, from what I've seen. So I do want more Democrats as governors in states.

 

If they pulled the same crap that the GOP is right now and did in 2010, I would call them on it too. Guess we'd have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

I don't disagree with anything you said.

 

My only point is, just electing a Democrat as Governor or the Legislature isn't going to change anything.

 

The process of drawing the districts is what needs changed. Take it out of their hands. If not...whom ever is in office, is going to draw the maps however it best fits their personal goals.

 

How do we get the process changed and taken out of the legislature and Governor's hands?

[Danny Bateman]

I only propose Dems as governors because they seem the side advocating for less barriers to voting and against voter suppression at the moment. Of course that benefits them but only because of egregious steps backwards in places like North Carolina when the Voting Rights Act went by the wayside hurt them disproportionately. If they started to game the system like the GOP have done in several places, I'd be just as against it.

 

I think the best way to approach it is to have independent bodies in charge of redistricting. Though it's impossible to be truly impartial, this is probably about the closest we can get. A small handful of states already do it that way:

 

 

 

To reduce the role that legislative politics might play, seven states (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Jersey and Washington) determine congressional redistricting by an independent or bipartisan redistricting commission.^[1] Four states, Florida, Iowa, Maine, and New York give independent bodies authority to propose redistricting plans, but preserve the role of legislatures to approve them.

 

Seems like a great idea to me. Take the politics out of it.

[Fru]

A UNL faculty member I know says her Arab students have been harassed on campus (and they weren't previously).

 

Shocking. Electing a man that has a white nationalist as his Chief Strategist and a surrogate proposing a Muslim Registry a la Japanese Internment. Who could've guessed that there would be such a reaction?

[Moiraine]

 

 

A UNL faculty member I know says her Arab students have been harassed on campus (and they weren't previously).

Shocking. Electing a man that has a white nationalist as his Chief Strategist and a surrogate proposing a Muslim Registry a la Japanese Internment. Who could've guessed that there would be such a reaction?

 

Except there are people trying to argue the two are unrelated and it is not Trump's fault in the slightest.